Oklahoma tribes act on sex offender registry law

Monday, May 14, 2007  

Four tribes in the Tulsa area are responding to a federal law that could cause them to lose some jurisdiction to the state.

The Adam Walsh Act requires tribes to opt into a national sex offender registry by July 27. If a tribe doesn't act by that date, the state will automatically be granted civil and criminal jurisdiction to enforce the registry.

The Sac and Fox Nation, the Osage Nation and the Cherokee Nation are working on resolutions to beat the deadline. "We will not forfeit anything to the state," Cherokee Nation Council attorney Todd Hembree told The Tulsa World.

The Muscogee Creek Nation is passing a resolution to have the state maintain its offender registry. But the tribe says it won't give up any jurisdiction to the state.

Tribes have two years from July 27 to develop their registry and come into compliance with the Adam Walsh Act. The Department of Justice has the authority to extend that deadline.

Get the Story:
Tribes to create offender registries (The Tulsa World 5/14)

Relevant Laws:
Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act | Violence Against Women Act of 2005

Relevant Documents:
White House Fact Sheet: The Adam Walsh Child Protection And Safety Act Of 2006 | President Signs H.R. 4472, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006

Related Court Decision:
Minnesota v. Peter John Jones (March 22, 2007)

Relevant Links:
National Congress of American Indians - http://www.ncai.org
Office of Violence Against Women, DOJ - http://www.usdoj.gov/ovw

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